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“With me?”
Her eyes narrow. “Yes.”
“Good.”
Rylan looks offended. “What's wrong with training with me?”
I stare at him. “You two never finish.”
Selena's cheeks turn red as Darian laughs behind me.
Rylan shrugs. “We finish.”
Selena elbows him hard in the ribs.
I laugh. “Selena, you're training with me.”
“Agreed.”
Rylan reaches for her waist, and she slaps his hand away. “Go train with Darian.”
His eyes follow her as she walks toward me. Months of training with Selena have taught me one thing. If Rylan joins us, the training session ends early. Every single time.
Darlene finishes stretching and jumps to her feet. “I'm ready.”
“Then come on.”
She runs at me. I sidestep her, and she spins around before coming back faster.
Better.
By the time the moon rises, the ceremonial grounds are packed. Silver Moon fills the clearing while warriors line the edges and families gather beneath the moonlight. The stage stands at the front beneath the pack crest with Selena and Rylan waiting for us.
Justin, Jace, and Jocelyn stand to one side of the stage representing the Gamma family. Joshua should be there with them. Jasmin should be beside him. Instead, their father is still missing, and their mother remains unconscious in the hospital. Paige sits below the stage with baby Jude in her arms.
My chest tightens, but I keep moving.
Darian stands beside me with Arian in his arms. Damian is on his other side while Darlene holds my hand, swinging our joined hands between us like we're going for a walk instead of standing in front of thousands of wolves.
Rylan steps forward. “Carter family.”
Darlene stops swinging my hand. Darian looks at me, and I smile.
“Ready?”
“Always.”
We walk toward the stage together. Damian straightens beside his father, and Darlene lifts her chin as we climb the steps.
Selena comes toward me carrying my Beta sigil. The sapphire blue gem catches the moonlight as she fastens it into place.
“About time,” she whispers.
I fight my smile. “Whose fault is that?”
Her green eyes narrow before she steps away.
Rylan moves to Darian and fastens his Beta sigil into place, clasping his shoulder once before returning to Selena's side.
